After facing Liverpool on Wednesday, Everton host their main title rivals Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Gunners beat Fulham 2-1 on Tuesday to keep the pressure on the Reds in the race for the title.
The win cut Liverpool’s lead to nine points, but the Reds bounced back with a 1-0 victory over the Toffees. A 12-point advantage with eight games remaining makes Liverpool firm favourites for the crown, but Arsenal will battle until it’s mathematically over.
Liverpool’s win broke Everton’s run of four Premier League draws, handing them their first defeat in the top flight since mid-January.
Everton have little to play for, languishing in mid-table. Relegation is no longer a threat, while they can’t challenge for Europe either, so their aim will be to finish as high up the table as possible.
EVERTON VS ARSENAL PREVIEW
The return of Bukayo Saka is a big boost for the Gunners as they look to end their season in style. It took him just seven minutes to score off the bench against Fulham following an absence of 101 days.
It wasn’t all good news for Arsenal though as they lost centre-back Gabriel early on. He is a doubt for this match.
While the title looks like it’s slipping away, Arsenal will still want to apply as much pressure as possible on Liverpool. They are unbeaten in their last four Premier League games and have won their last two.
Everton go into this game 15th in the Premier League. They are 14 points above the relegation zone, but 16 from the European places. They will aim to secure the highest position they can in their remaining eight games.
The Toffees’ defeat to Liverpool was their first in the Premier League since losing 1-0 to Aston Villa in mid-January. They will hope to bounce back against the Gunners, but the head-to-head stats are not on their side.
Arsenal have a strong historical record against the Toffees, with last season’s corresponding fixture being a prime example. Leandro Trossard scored the only goal of the game as the Gunners ran out 1-0 winners.
A Kai Havertz goal one minute from time gave the Gunners a come-from-behind 2-1 victory at the Emirates last May. Meanwhile, this season’s reverse fixture in north London was a goalless draw.
EVERTON VS ARSENAL – PREDICTIONS
Everton Win
Everton have home advantage. They have not lost at Goodison Park since being dumped out of the FA Cup by Bournemouth in early February. Their last home league defeat was against Villa on 15 January.
Draw
The game at the Emirates earlier this season ended in a 0-0 draw, as have four of Everton’s last five Premier League games. Arsenal have drawn their last two away games in the Premier League too.
Arsenal Win
The Gunners need the points more than Everton and are unbeaten in their last four Premier League games, winning the last two. They also haven’t lost to Everton in their last four encounters, winning three of them.
EVERTON VS ARSENAL – BETTING TIPS
Arsenal Win
Arsenal are unbeaten on the road since early February in all competitions. They have not lost away from home in the Premier League since a 1-0 reverse against Newcastle United on 2 November. Considering they need the points more than Everton and with Saka already firing on his return, I expect them to pick up the win here.
Bukayo Saka to Score
Scoring after just seven minutes following a 101-day lay-off is an impressive feat in itself and the England striker will be hungry for more. Everton have conceded at least one goal in each of their last seven matches and I wouldn’t be surprised if Saka is the scorer here. The Toffees’ last clean sheet came against lowly Leicester City on 1 February.
HEAD-TO-HEAD AND KEY STATS
- Everton and Arsenal have played each other 224 times, with the Blues winning 65 encounters. The Gunners have won 112, while there have been 47 draws.
- Arsenal are unbeaten in their last four games against Everton (W3, D1).
- Arsenal last kept a clean sheet in both Premier League meetings against Everton in 2011/12. They haven’t been shut out in both top flight meetings since the 1912/13 season. The match at the Emirates last December ended goalless.
- Arsenal have a poor record on Merseyside, having won just three of their last 26 away games against Everton and Liverpool (D10, L13).
- Everton have only been defeated twice in their last 13 matches at Goodison Park (W4, D7).
- Everton have drawn their last three matches at home. The last time they drew four in a row was in February 2015.
- Everton have scored four goals in the 90th minute at Goodison Park this season, earning three draws in the process.
- Arsenal are unbeaten in 10 Premier League away games (W5, D5). Only Liverpool with a run of 17 are doing better.
